Dave Taste Tests Some Russian Wines

[oledavy]

Well, cursory research online (Filthy Robot's Tier List), ranks Russia as tier 2, Ottomans and tier 3, and Assyria as tier 4, so my read on the relative power of civs in BNW is completely different than at least one person who plays a lot more Civ 5 MP than me.

Basically, he makes the points that the extra production early on from Russia is alone really good. I also didn't realize Cossacks stack charge with their innate bonus, which makes them just godly units for the era.

His tier list video had good points about the limitations of Barbary Corsairs, Treasures of Ninevah, and the Siege Tower. I have played with Siege Towers once, and thinking back to that game, I must say I see his point about them being just too fragile. His point on triremes you get from Barbary Corsairs being worthless also matches my experience.

Anyway, still waiting on the screenshot, but just wanted to update people with what I'm thinking. I may end up about-facing on this one and picking Russia.

I will look more into MP strategies and tier lists this weekend to inform my decision.

[chumchu]

Here, finally, is your starting screenshot. Goodie huts will be reshuffled before start

[oledavy]

Thanks Chumchu!

Still mulling over civs, although my test game with Russia over the weekend has inclined me to them - I assume there has to be at least horses near that capital, so that would represent a big boost early.

Chumchu, when we decide upon a civ, do you want us to post in our thread or in the tech thead?

I think the first warrior move will be NE, NE, to see if either of those hills are viable settles. I would love to settle on a hill both for capital defensibility and extra production early.

If neither are worth giving up the river for, I will SIP or 1SW.

I would really like to do coastal however, for coastal trade routes.

[oledavy]

Alright, given the luxury resources at the start, I think I am going to go with a wine theme for my Civ. City names will be wine varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc. Since you can't name units unless they promote, we're not going to have a unit naming theme.

I decided on Russia after playing a 6 player pangaea SP game this weekend. The extra production was really nice early on. I'm not as excited about the rest of Russia's kit, but I'll take a few extra hammers early on. With a hand-built map, I expect horses and iron will be in easy reach of the capital, and that I can build my second city for horses pretty easily. We'll get +3 production early on, and go from there.

Right now I'm leaning towards a tradition opener. I kinda want to prioritize religion this game for two reasons:

1. I don't generally mess with religion much and it would be fun to try out in a competitive environment (although I'll definitely be behind the 8 ball when Nic picks Eithiopia).
2. Goddess of festivals seems like it would be fun with this start.

So, considering going tradition -> piety. That path of course may change based on the surrounding terrain. I may yet do an about face and go Liberty. This is not a great capital, but I'm still thinking tradition will be a better opener. Civil Service will make this capital nice, but until then, it's pretty meh.

I might try to do some tech beeline forCcossacks. I'm also going to try and use my horses advantage to make a military with a lot of chariot archers, which I feel I have criminally undervalued over the years.

Of course, it may turn out that I have a decent coastal city i can settle to the north, but I'm not counting on it being worth moving away from the river.

As far as my Russia pick, I ruled out Assyria because it commits me to a strategy that doesn't have great odds of working. Ottomans and Russia were a tough choice, but I ultimately decided to go with the safer one Having tons of triremes would be nice, but since I'm not guranteed a good coastal capital, it seemed like too much of a risk to take.

So, bring your cork screws and wine glasses, and get ready for some robust and full-bodied fun. This game we'll be sampling wines from the heart of mother Russia

[oledavy]

Should be possible to work out which of my civ picks are least bad!

I honestly thought he had the best civs to choose from. Just pick Eithiopia! Celts are pretty good too. The only one who sucks is Morocco.

I think I am going to settle inland, 1SW and go tradition. I may not even bother scouting 2 NE. That looks like that would be the Liberty spot, but I'm afraid of accidentally moving away from horses. I think it will also pale in comparison long-term without a river, unless there is some really good shit up there. Staying in the river valley seems more profitable.

But by moving I could accidentally settle on them.....

I'm betting they're on that Grassland though, a mapmaker incentive to not settle there (when every single other tile around is plains).

No though, really excited to finally get this game up and running soon. Hoping we can kick things off this weekend.

[oledavy]

I think we're going to have to reload. There were ruins on the marshes west of my start that had 75 gold. Moving 1SW additionally revealed a flood plain and another grassland wine - I think Chumchu definitely intended to "move inland" option to allow for a stronger capital. Hopefully we'll get a reload and I'll get to turn 1 tonight so I can settle the capital city of Chardonnay.

[oledavy]

The hut wasn't there on replay

[oledavy]

We made it to a second turn!

Any lurkers making their way through my thread, I ask you as a personal favor, please give Pindicator lots of attention in his thread. He seems to be doing this game more as a favor, and had a really rough time in PBEM2. I really don't want him to get burned out on this one and want him to have a good time.

[oledavy]

You don't appreciate the little things until you don't have them, like internet. Before I go back to my Wifiless apartment, where things stand:

Oh wait, screenshot on desktop.

Welp, uh, verbal description.

Turn 1

Settled Chardonnay on the riverside plains. It will be slow starting up, but should be a powerful city down the road. Four wines in reach, so I will never lack for commerce. The biggest benefit of moving south was getting a jungled banana in the second ring. With it, the deer, and eventually a granary, I will be putting up a good food bonus.

I could have popped the ruins on the first turn, but waited until I had settled so more good options would be a possibility. Sure enough, got a pop. I would have preferred culture of course, but getting a 2nd pop is still pretty great. With any luck, we'll be off to a rocket start.

[oledavy]

Turn 2

Another ruins in sight. Will manage a 3t Scout by microing my extra pop.